A few weeks ago, when I was first asked to assist with the Community Clinic fund-raising Gala Auction & Dinner Dance, no one had any idea that Hurricane Katrina was about to devastate vast areas of the Gulf Coast. Now, in the wake of that greatest of all American natural disasters, the pressure for the kind of free health care that the clinic offers to those in need is expected to be greater than ever. I am happy to report that I have had an overwhelming response from area performing arts organizations eager to support the clinic’s programs.

For those who may not be aware of it, Montgomery County’s Community Clinic opened its doors in November 1996 and provides free medical/dental care, social services, and mental health care to the working poor and uninsured living in our community. It is a privately funded, nonprofit health care center. A staff of licensed physicians, nurses, dentists, dental assistants, social workers, as well as translators and support people, all volunteer their time and services to run the clinic.

This coming Saturday night, to raise much needed funds, the clinic will hold its Gala Auction & Dinner Dance at the Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel. Woodlands founder, George Mitchell, and his wife Cynthia Woods Mitchell, are serving as honorary chairpersons of the event. As part of the extensive silent auction for the evening, area performing arts groups have provided a variety of items that include not only season tickets, but also such offerings as everything from backstage passes to theater tours, as well as photos with the performers, CD’s, guitar lessons and more. Cindy DuBois, Director of Marketing for the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, has even donated two Maestro Season Tickets to the pavilion. Other eager donors included director, Keith Brumfield (tickets for Class Act Productions), musician John Carney (free guitar lessons), Crighton Theatre’s Terry Lynn Hale (performance gift certificates), director, Phillip Duggins (Masquerade Theatre tickets), director Ellen Ketchum (Montgomery College Drama Department tickets), Montgomery County Performing Arts Society director, Mark Powell (MCPAS season tickets and Young Texas Artists Competition tickets), director Justin Doran (John Cooper School Drama Department tickets), area producer, Frank Eakin (DVD and theatrical premiere tickets for the forthcoming Woodlands-made motion picture,” Bracelet of Bordeaux,” in addition to tickets for next season’s Woodlands Young Moviemakers Gala), music director, Dagang Chen (season tickets for The Woodlands Symphony), and Conroe Symphony’s Helen Burwell (two concert season tickets).

Those who may be interested in volunteering at the clinic or in attending the Gala (tickets are $125 per person or $1500 for a table of ten) may contact the Community Clinic director, Jody Hopkins, at 281-364-7889 Ext. 229.

(The Villager    9.8.05)